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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I have known Jason (FR) now for over a year through the blogwaves. He has been a great inspiration and a wealth of knowledge for me over at Fontinalis Rising. It's hard not to appreciate talented writing and fly fishing skills to match! I thank him for being a "guest writer" here on The River Damsel, today. It looks like there are a few more lessons to be learned for RD! So, without further ado... I bring you my kayaking, fly fishing friend, Mr. Fontinalis himself, Jason Tucker.

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Uuugghhh…. The River Damsel wants pointers on steelhead fishing, and what do I know? I can tell you about brook trout, and about browns at night. I can take you for a day of fishing here in late May and catch you fish. Steelhead? It’s a problem.

Here’s what I know- steelhead fishing is one of the most exasperating forms of fishing period, surpassed only by musky, and maybe carp. Steelhead are not only seasonal, finicky, large and gear destroying, but being migratory, they can be thick in the river and ferocious, or non-existent. Out where our dear Damsel fishes in Utah and Idaho, they have traveled over a thousand miles, and have seen more than one hook. But never mind the distance and travel patterns, your river can be chock full of fish and you can go home fishless, nay, bite-less. Steelhead set their own rules, their own schedule. I’ve fished the same hole for 45 minutes very thoroughly, only to have me and my friends hook up on three big fish in ten minutes, our own three fish circus, and then have the bite end just like that. I can tell you what weather patterns and times of day are best for this kind of thing, but I could never guarantee it. I can only keep going.

Here’s where I’m going to tick some people off and make a departure. Forget “swinging”. Forget any purism. Learn chuck’n’duck, get some good egg patterns, and catch some fish. Steelhead are egg hunters. Pay close attention to that Metalhead video- sure they tie lots of pretty streamers for spey casting, but a lot of the fish in that video are punctuated with bright pink or orange dots in the corners of their mouths- those guys were ducking eggs big-time.

Okay, you want my ultimate scenario? Mind you, this is the Great Lakes, but who knows, maybe it translates. It is late March, 40 degrees, with moderate run-off and a light stain to the water, and here’s what you need- eggs. My top pattern, size ten, is the Creamsicle, a steelhead orange egg with a Peachy King colored veil- veiled eggs are the ultimate. After that is the orange/chartreuse, chartreuse being the veil. Then an orange estaz egg, again veiled with peachy king. Then clown eggs, though clown eggs may be the best pattern ever, producing when nothing else does. This joke may be getting tired, but keep your clown eggs in the fridge- you don’t want them to hatch.

There’s some other things not to forget. You need an 8 weight rod and matched reel with a good drag. You do NOT need a net, only wool gloves with which to tail and grab- since dropping the net and wearing the gloves, my landing rate has gone up. Grab the knuckle at the base of their tail and hold tight, then cup their belly just behind the gills and lift- it’s over. I hope your grip is as tight as mine. If not, hold on anyways, you’ll probably be okay.

Steelhead fishing is about time and persistence. You need to be out there. You need to know the bends in the river. I went to one of my local streams today, and it was low, and some of the deepest holes had filled with sand. This was very alarming. There were no steelhead. I went to another stream and found a couple of decent fish in the first 30 minutes. This is your dilemma. Fish can be there one day and gone the next, active one day and sulking the next.

RD- in the end steelhead fishing is not about the usual, but about putting in your time, braving the cold, trying new techniques, accepting defeat knowing that victory is imminent. It took me a long time for me to get my first fish, but once I cracked the code it seemed I could do no wrong.

Okay, on to some particulars. For instance, you can’t over-fish a hole or run. I’m typically a four cast fisherman when I’m fly fishing for trout. Each lie gets four casts and I move on. Not so with steelhead. I’ll stand and chuck the same run for half an hour or more. The key is not to make the same cast over and over. Start by working the inside of the run ( closest to you) and methodically work your way across it. If nothing happens, take a step or two upstream and work it all over again. Repeat until you’ve worked the whole run thoroughly and so that the fish have seen your fly from every angle. This has worked for me so often, that I firmly believe in it. Sometimes that one step upstream, changing the angle of the presentation in the current, has resulted in an instant hook-up.

One thing I will say for steelhead, is that one fish can make up for multiple fishless days. One chrome bullet dancing and body planing across the water’s surface will make your heart pound and turn your nerves to mush. Steelhead are the ultimate salmonid, the ultimate fish on a fly. They have it all- beauty, charisma, a romantic life story, power, speed and acrobatics. Despite what I said earlier, once you’ve caught a few, you’ll find yourself dreaming of swinging flies on a spey rod. No matter how you choose to chase them, steelhead become an obsession, the ultimate prize in this goofy world of fly fishing.

Jason Tucker is a fly fisherman, tier, and writer from Northern Michigan. He runs the ship over at Fontinalis Rising, his blog about his fly fishing adventures. Any day during the cold weather months that it gets above 30 degrees you can usually find him out fishing for steelhead.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Something is up over at the Outdoor Blogger Network... It seems that they got my name and number, email and well...posted a "Quickfire Interview" with good ol' RD...So, go on over and check it out! You might even get a laugh or two... And maybe find out a few things that you didn't know about me.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

What's better than a road trip? Mmmm...nothing. At least, for me. I must have a portion of gypsy blood in me. I love to travel. The farther the journey is, the more exciting it becomes. But, here we are with gas prices rising steadily. That limits the times that I will probably venture out this year. So, I need to be a little more choosy on where to go. I have a trip that is coming up that will indeed put some of my fidgeting to rest. For now... River X is waiting...I'm shooting for April. And if it is warm enough by then...we will be staying at the river and doing a little bit of camping. So, here are a few items that I am going to pick up.

Mmmm...Real food!

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Comfort...no more sleeping on rocks.

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And something more than a flashlight.

That's better! Now...to pick out some new camp recipies. Of course, the Snickers and Diet Coke will always be a standby. But, if I can make a sausage, peppers and potatoes dish?
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The last River X meal...

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A little bit better. And for breakfast...mmmm...sausage, eggs and pancakes. (I love that ready-made Bisquick in a bottle!) I'm ready to go now. I can already smell the aroma in the brisk, canyon air... : ) A month or so more of this winter fishing... and then the real fun begins! Journey on...

Today's Tippets:They are coming from you out there! Since I am not an "accomplished" camper, I will take whatever advice you might have for me. Now, remember... this girl is from California. Growing up, no one in my family liked this camping stuff...shall we say that they were "indoorsy"? Anyway, I have had several great road trips with friends in the past few years, that have opened my eyes to the outdoors camping experience. And I definitely want to do more of it. So, I welcome your suggestions and remember...I do know about keeping even closed coolers away from my head in the tent! (Thanks to my friend who I thought knew more than I did) I never, ever want to see this guy near my sleeping bag again! HA! Even if he does a little dance on a rock in the tent corner to be cute...

A new development since I posted this story...head on over to Windknots and Tangled Lines and you will see Howard's suggestions for me. What a hoot that Cofisher guy is...

Friday, February 24, 2012

Well it's a Friday night and I am all tuckered out from my fishing day... What kind of day, you ask? Tune in tomorrow for Sunday Tippets. Until then, I have a little book review in the good ol' grab bag!

A few weeks ago, a fellow employee came over to my desk to tell me that he was planning on selling his house and moving to the other side of the state. I was surprised when he asked me if I would be interested in some fly fishing books that he had collected and no longer wanted. Now, why would I say "no"??? When he came in the next morning, he had a stack of books...Not bad, eh?

Of course, it was one of the longest days at work. I kept looking over at this pile of books, wanting to browse each one! Finally, I had to put them under the desk. Haha. (I'm very bad about presents under the Christmas tree too!!) Well...it didn't help that he told me that there were notes and directions in the "Guide to Utah" of all his favorite fishing holes. : ) When I got home, I did a quick glance with each book and decided that there was one that was pretty fun. One that was different than all the rest... I found a book that would be perfect for anyone that is just getting into fly fishing or that wants to increase their knowledge about it.

The book is entitled, "Catch That Fish"...The Essential Guide To Fly Fishing Tactics. Sounds kind of silly, doesn't it? Well, friends...this book isn't silly at all. In fact, it is the best deal I've seen at $7.99 (special value price that my friend paid a few years back) and even a better deal as I got it "free"!! Peter Gathercole is the author and his insight and knowledge are very well illustrated by the brief write ups on fly selection and techniques. He talks about everything from what equipment and clothing is used to species of fish to how to tie some of the most common fly patterns. What is a rainfed river, a chalkstream, a spate river? I'm still pretty new to all of this I guess...I had never heard of those names...So, I have really been enjoying this "drop in my lap"! It even has tips on how to fish stillwater; small and large lakes and reservoirs. The hardcover book was published in 1999. But, I don't believe that it is outdated by any means...And the hints to matching the hatch and where to cast are going to be tested by this River Damsel very shortly! Hey, I always welcome improvement...

My favorite part about this book has to be the split pages!! Each section tells you how to fish that particular area of water on the top half and then gives you helpful "try these first" flies on the side of the page. Then, all you have to do is flip the bottom part of the book to that fly to match up... Ok...I like interactive books, I guess! I know, this might sound "elementary" to some, but it is a great way for someone to learn about fly fishing or just brushing up on their skills. The fly patterns are very large and colorful and really bring the fly to life. You can really see the detail which is great also. You can pick up this book "used" on several sites on the internet. If you want to add a book to your collection...give this one a try! And you can get it on the cheap... What's better than that?? : )

Oh...and that wasn't all I received from my friend who was tossing things out. Are you ready?

Sunday, February 19, 2012

I really don't know how to better describe the events of yesterday's fishing trip, except to show a few pictures. I believe that they will tell it all. In the end, I decided that I need new fishing gear... Knee guards...or just better judgement.

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Minus the hocky stick, of course.

﻿﻿There is this term called "Combat Fishing"...it usually relates to the density of fisherman on the river. But, in my case, it means...one River Damsel in a stretch of stronger current with one 20 + inch brown trout. (You will have to forgive the missing picture of the actual battle...needless to say, there wasn't time to take a few pics!﻿﻿

A freshly fallen 8 inches of snow welcomed me as I started my journey...

I was excited to try out my new 10' 4wt fly rod...

but, because I left my Lamson reel at home, the low cost back-up had to be used.

The first catch of the day was this "teenager" of a Brown Trout.

The new rod had been "initiated"...

Then, I had it in my mind that there would be bigger fish down by the bridge.

And I was right.

BEFORE...

Then, this is where the story goes...downstream!! In more ways than one.

I really want to blame this mishap on the lousy back up reel, but it could also be the angler involved. : ) This reel was supposed to come with some sort of drag system! I couldn't tighten it up...And all of a sudden, it was reeling out of control with a 20 plus brown on...He showed me his head and yellow tail once as he pulled away yard by yard. Oh, I wanted this guy!! But, he was determined to go back down deep. My rod had a beautiful bend in it...if we are looking for something postive about this experience! Sooner than expected though, I was to the backing of my line. Now, it was nervous time. He was too far away from me going downstream and the shear force made me stumble over some jagged rocks underneath. My knees screamed in pain. Still holding on to my fly rod with every bit of strength I had left, I tried to reach back for my clippers. I was not going to lose a new rod by golly!! But, before I could find them and cut the line...

And my suspicions of what might happen if I fell hard enough one day were answered. Patagonia makes a good wader. But, I totally believe in reinforced knees, which my first Cabelas waders had...I wouldn't have had the holes, I don't believe. Now, hopefully the patch kit fixes them...

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And finally home to give it a rest...a few scrapes to the hands and a few bruises to the knees and ego. Whether I could have brought that fish in with a different reel is beside the point. The "reel" factor was that I wasn't in an area that I should have been in. Yes, it was a spot that had a lot of boulders and pockets water. Good holding spots for trout. My sense of balance is not as good as others. And the current was stronger than I should have ventured out in. So, my tippet today would be to fish in those waters that are in your comfort zone. Don't risk your safety for a silly ol' fish! (even 20 + browns) Hindsight. ﻿﻿I think it's time for the hot tub. ﻿

Friday, February 17, 2012

Last year, I had a Picasa failure with my pictures that were connected to about three months of posts...vanished, gone! So, I am re-creating a few of my favorite posts and applying photos once again! For those who already commented on the story, thank you! And for those newcomers that might not have read this story about one of my times on the Lamar River in Yellowstone...one of the most perfect habitats for fly-fishermen...enjoy!

Another segment in my Yellowstone series...We move on to the Lamar River!!...In the summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to travel once again to Yellowstone National Park. It is one of my favorite places to visit and I usually try to make it an annual/semi annual trip. I went with a couple of friends and out of the 8 rivers that we hit in the 3 day period (yes, that was crazy), the Lamar River has to be one of the favorites. For sure, next time I go to the Lamar, it will be a full day wading this beautiful river. The most amazing thing was the emerald green of the water. And the rocks...absolutely beautiful. The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River. It is approximately 40 mi. long and is located in the NE part of Yellowstone.

It is known for bears, bison and wolves in the area. When we entered the park, they had told us about the "Bear Watch" that was active in the Lamar Valley which was our destination...I always figured that the bear spray wouldn't help much because if the bear was close enough to spray, it was already way too close!!! Do you know what I mean? Well, I guess it does work, so I hear...We headed up in the late morning after stopping at the Gibbon River. As it was a little ways up the road and with the construction going on, we hoped that it would be worth the trip. It was!! My friends got started before me on the river...which is pretty usual as I am a lagger!

So, I am getting changed into my waders next to the car when I look in the side mirror and see this rather large bison coming towards the vehicle behind me. Now, I know not to harrass or get too close to Mr. Bison. I have seen them many times before on the roads up there. So, I figured that I better get inside and wait until he passed and was on his way down the road. While intently observing this animal, I was amazed at the massive body. I waited for Mr. Bison to change his direction and go across the road and up a hill before getting back out! You bet I did!! He didn't look like he wanted to play Monopoly, you know what I mean?

As I got out of the car, I looked down into the Lamar Valley and it was just breathtaking! A gorgeous place for sure. It is one of the most pristine places in Yellowstone and probably has the most wildlife to view (from a distance is better sometimes!) Bison were herding in the field across the road. Now, there was this "Bear Watch" that I was still a little nervous about. But, being with friends, I felt some comfort there. But, I was still going to be mindful of it... Did you know that bears love to fish too????

Well...it was time to fish! And fish, we did. I brought in a few cutties and a nice rainbow too. I love the rocks and rills of this river. Very picturesque. And there was an added surprise...little ducklings. They were adorable and very brave! They were right at my feet in a little pool of water and then, all of a sudden, off they went! Across the riffles to the other side! I don't know how they swam across the current, but they did. It was a rather warm summer day and I almost was ready for a swim myself! Ha. A lot of Caddis and PMD's...hoppers as well. Darn it all, if I didn't have one of those Lamar River Chernobyl's on hand! I hear they are the ticket...As you go towards the canyon, it gets rockier and a little more treacherous. But, the fishing is great. Heaven on earth is here at the Lamar. The river has deep pools, runs, and undercuts that are packed with native Yellowstone Cutthroat. The Lamar''s upper end has few fishermen, as you can tell by the way the cutthroat rises slowly from the bottom of a deep pool to snatch your fly! A few more bears, wolves and animals with teeth also!

So, we didn't go too much farther up, as we had excellent fishing where we were. The heaviest fished section of the Lamar is between Soda Butte Creek and the canyon. There is a wide open valley of about 7 mi. Even though it has the most fishermen visiting that part of the river, it has excellent fishing. The stream has some large boulders, plenty of riffles, runs, and lots of pocket water. We fished in deep pools too...we loved it all!! Trout in this section and the lower canyon section, where we were, are mostly cutthroats averaging from 12-14 inches and some up to 18-20 inches. There are also some rainbows and cutbows on the Lamar closer to the Yellowstone River. The river is just the right size for fly-fishing, big enough to hold large trout, but small enough so that even novice fishermen will have a pretty good idea where the fish are holding. And the sunsets...ahhhh.

Well, I am happy to tell you that even though I was looking over my shoulder most of the time for that bear that they told us about, there was no sign of him anywhere... Or maybe he just hid well!! I just had to put up with my friends who thought it was funny to make "bear noises" at me...RRAAwwrr!!!

Footnote: The fishing season in Yellowstone runs from Memorial Day to early November, but the best time to plan your trip is between July and September. Especially, if you are going to the Lamar...runoff usually takes until middle of July for the water to be at a good level.

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Outdoor Blogger Network (OBN) had a writing prompt this past week. They wanted us to write on our scariest moment outdoors. I have several to choose from, but the one that stands out the most was when I went fishing with some friends on my birthday a couple of years ago. I got quite a response from it the first time...so we will re-post it once again for this writing prompt from OBN...Enjoy now with a few embellishments...

Do you ever have the desire to try something new, not knowing what to fully expect? Usually, I will venture out and do something new as long as it's safe...Well...a few of my fishing buddies wanted to go do some night fishing. And it was my birthday to boot! So, it sounded like a fun time...I bought a headlamp and I thought that I was ready...Oh, yeah, I also grabbed some mice knowing that this might be the first time that I could actually catch a fish on one! But, no! That wasn't all I needed...as I was going to find out. I needed a secret service agent. Or a bouncer...or, Owl Jones! Yeah, that would have been more like it.

It was a nice summer evening in August. The sun was just starting to give way to shadows on the water. We had caught a few fish and were having a good time. As the darkness approached, I grabbed my headlight and adjusted it where I would need it. One step at a time, I carefully went into a pool of water just deep enough to give me a little apprehension, but the current was slow. I was a just a little nervous, being the first time on a pretty big river at night. The moonlight glistening on the river was quite beautiful. This river is famous for Brown and Rainbow trout. And the night fishing is supposed to be some of the finest that you can find.

I was quite excited about it all, until we hear, "Splash"! "Splash"! "Splash"! WTF(udge)!!! Rocks were being thrown at us from up above in the trees. The section of the Lower Provo has elevated banks that have thick brush and trees. We couldn't see who was throwing rocks, but this was not very funny, indeed! I really didn't want to get hit in the head. You couldn't see what direction the rock was coming from...so a pretty helpless feeling, if you know what I mean! We yelled back at them to stop the throwing...but, to no avail. So, here we were in the middle of a dark river, and nowhere to go as the missles were being fired at us, so to speak!

Ralphie would have taken care of things!

We called the Sheriff, as we stood in the river and they said that they would come and check it out. They were about a half hour away though. We thought about walking out, but then thought that we were actually safer where we were. We didn't want to get into any scuffle with them either. So, we stayed put. Rocks were being hurled at us and above our heads about every five minutes. It was not fun. I will say that. My legs were cramping up standing in one place. In the dark of the Provo River, I never thought that my birthday would be so adventurous! Or scary...I just wanted to throw a few mice. One of my friends, yelled out that he had a BB gun and he wasn't afraid to use it! (Although, he didn't have it on him at the time) Oh yeah, that did it. Silence...five min...ten min...were they gone?

We heard the Sheriff yell out to us that they had arrived. The combed the area and no one was there. So, we all waded out to meet the Sheriff and his search and rescue dogs. Ha! We gave our report and the last thing the Sheriff said to us, was..."If you are going back in to fish, have a good time!" Yeah, right! This night was finished. We all laugh about it now and have a code word "Splash" that we say between us when we fish on the river now. So, I guess that you could say, that fishing with me is...well, interesting! Adventure in every riffle...errr...pool of water, whatever! (And my term, "Incoming" is not related to this night in any way!) We all know the only "Incoming" yell is for brown trout being reeled in...don't we?

Hey...I swear this was in the Provo River...not in Mayberry.

This is more like it...these were the guys...

And for Jay and Howard, who commented on the post before...no, those weren't woodchucks chucking wood..

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Ok...who is kidding who? But, stay with me here. I've been trying to figure out why I have been struggling with winter fishing. And then it dawned on me... There was something that I haven't done for quite awhile...In fact, maybe not since I had my last good fishing day! Call me superstitious...but, it was time to find out if this one thing, this one little quirk (which has actually been a question in my head for awhile) ..could land some nice trout for me. So, I share with you...the secret to "my success".

Yep...It turns out, that when the hair is up, the fish are too! When the hair is down...the fish stay down. It's crazy, I know...Now, this is just the secret to "my success". I'm sure that is doesn't apply to many other people. (At least I hope not!!) Sure, I can probably catch a few fish with long locks. But, as silly as it seems, I have much better concentration and focus when I don't have hair flying in my face. Haha. So...back to the basics for this River Damsel!! I was so ready to hit the river. After being skunked last time, the water looked perfect on a mildly pleasant, winter day.

And after twenty minutes..."INCOMING"!!!

The partridge soft hackle that I was swinging across stream, pulled up a BEAUTIFUL 16 1/2 (hey, I could have said 17, but I'm honest!!) Brown Trout! And here is where the story gets sad. In all the excitement of landing a nice, winter fish...I reached out and picked him up with my hands and removed the fly before reaching behind me for my net. A few wiggles and he was the next one to escape from Alcatraz! So, no glamour shot for my best catch of the day...I really need to learn to net first, hold fish second!! Lol.

SUNDAY TIPPET: This really isn't the secret to "my success". Fishing success...maybe! (We will have to "unfortunately" test this out a while longer...haha.) But, in life... My success comes from those around me. My family. Watching my kids grow up... And we capped this week off in high fashion!! A new chapter awaits the River Damsel in off line life. She has evolved...and soon...she will be hearing the words, "Gramma RD, will you take me fishing?"

My daughter Tammy and husband Brian had their first baby...a healthy and handsome boy, named Dillon!! Hmmm...MT?...Now, if you don't think that I'm going to tell this little guy about the Big Hole, Madison, and Ruby Rivers...Ok...maybe it's a little early. ; )

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Welcome to The River Damsel's blogsite! As an avid Flyfisher, I have come to realize that there is more adventure in the "riffles" of the river as it is in life. If you listen and watch the river, you will understand more about the complexity of what lies beneath. It is truly an ongoing adventure...a beautiful journey and a very gratifying one.

About Me

The River Damsel hails from Tustin, CA. and now resides in Salt Lake City, UT. I can attest that it is totally possible to do anything you want to do! LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST! I decided to make some changes in my life a few years back. It was when I picked up a flyrod, that I knew that I was filling a void in my life! I was "hooked"! The outdoors is where I find my inner peace away from the busy daily life...It gives me that time of solitude, meditation, and enjoyment. I love the continued learning about the river and the many inhabitants that live in it and around it. My journey has taught me about nature, people, and mostly ME! Thanks to those special friends that have shared their knowledge and talents with me so that I could enjoy the adventure even more! XO!